June has been designated as National Indigenous History Month, with June 21 as National Indigenous Peoples Day. The painful history of European colonization and the subjugation of Indigenous peoples has caused almost irreparable harm to nations, communities, families and individuals…
The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “Do you Believe this?” It is a quote from the Gospel of John (11:25-26). What an appropriate question for Christians to contemplate. We share the same faith in Jesus Christ and…
I hope your Christmas was complete with some of the good things this beautiful season has to offer. In whatever way Christmas came to you this year, I hope you were reminded of the best we are, the best we…
The news these days can be overwhelming: as stories of violence, polarization, war, a refugee crisis and a suffering planet wash over us, we may wonder if faith is even still relevant in today’s world. Faith as Protest: Answering the…
Each month, the Pope sets before the People of God a special intention for the worldwide Church to bring to prayer. This month he asks that we pray for victims of abuse: We pray for those who have suffered harm…
Three days ago, we were filled with joy at the birth of the Christ child. Today, we mark the deaths of innocent children at the hands of Herod, pawns in a political game. Two thousand years later, how much has…
December 12th is the Feast Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patron of the Americas). In December of 1531, on a site revered by Aztecs as a shrine to the goddess Tonantzin, the Blessed Virgin appeared to an indigenous man, Juan Diego.…
Earlier this week, I saw a tweet from an Indigenous person lamenting that many Canadians would be wearing an orange shirt on September 30, and then for the next 364 days, it would be business as usual, with nothing changing…
“If I only knew then what I know now.” This is what I said to Emund Matatawabin, former Cree Chief at Fort Albany, author and winner of the Order of Canada. He responded that he thought this would make a…
I remember long ago an anecdotal story of the conference of bishops of Brazil who ended their meetings about policies and procedures with the question: “Well gentlemen, how have we helped the poor today?” Whether this account is true or…